Self lubricating journal for railroad cars and locomotives



Oct. 22, 1957 J. A. RILEY 2,810,613

1 SELF LUBRICATING JOURNAL FOR RAILROAD CARS AND LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 17, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

JmsAJwley azmva.

ATraR/vEm O 22, 7 J. A. RILEY 2,810,613

SELF LUBRICATING JOURNAL FOR RAILROAD CARS AND LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 17, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ""IuIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR JmsA.Bllej ATfOQn/EYS 0a. 22, ,1957 J. A.YRILEY 2,810,613

SELF LUBRICATING JOURNAL FOR RAILROAD CARS AND LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 17, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7

IN VEN TOR.

mesAJPl'lgf fi m.

' ATTORNEYS United States Patent '0 SELF LUBRICATING JOURNAL FOR RA LROAD CARS AND LOCOMOTIVES James A. Riley, Hudson, Mich.

Application December 17, 1954, Serial No. 475,856

6 Claims. (Cl. 308-'-86) This invention relates to railway rolling stock, and more particularly to a journal for railroad cars and locomotives.

The object of the invention is to provide a railway car or locomotive journal which is self-lubricating'and which will require a minimum amount of attention during use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selflubricating journal for railroad carriers which is inexpensive to maintain, which is ruggedly constructed so that it will not readily get out of order.

A further object of the invention is to provide a railroad self-lubricating journal which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to desig nate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the journal of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the journal.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the 'line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the oil groove in the bearing.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the top of the bearing of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating a single delivery type of oil cup.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified cup which is of a double action type.

Figure 9 is a view of a further modified type of cup and showing the cup in perspective and the plate with parts broken away and in section.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a box or housing which has a quantity of oil 11 therein. The numeral 12 designates the journal axle, while the numeral 13 designates the journal bearing space. A bearing 14 is arranged in the box 10, and there is provided babbits 15.

The bearing 14 is provided with a plurality of oil grooves 16 and 17, and extending through the bearing is an oil hole 18 which communicates with the grooves 16 and 17. The bearing 14 is further provided with an oil catch basin 19 for a purpose to be later described.

Supported on the bearing 14 is a wedge 20. A circular plate 21 is bolted to the end of the journal or axle 12 and carried by the plate 21 is a plurality of outside oil delivery cups 22 and inside delivery cups 23. The plate 21 may be connected to the axle by means of bolts 24. A safety wire 25 interconnects the bolts 24 together. The cups 22 and 23 may include a curved portion so that as the car moves, some of the oil is scooped up or picked up and deposited in the oil catch basin 19.

There is further provided an oil seal bracket which is indicated by the numeral 26, and arranged within the 2,810,613 Patented Oct. 22, 1957 ice "stick 34 projects through the cover 33, and a test stick holding spring 35 is arranged in engagement with the stick 34. The stick is further provided with a finger hole 36. The cover includes a sliding door 37 whereby car inspectors can inspect the interior of the box without the necessity of removing the cover 33. The inspection hole in "the cover is indicated by the numeral 38 and the numeral 39 indicates the tracks which hold the sliding door 37. The cover 33 may be connected to the box by means of bolts 40.

The numeral 43 designates the split between the two sections of the oil sealing bracket 26 and this numeral also indicates the meeting edges of the sealing member 27. There is further provided an outside felt and dust board 44. Figure 2 is an end elevational view looking at the end of the journal box.

Thejournal box of the present invention is made larger than presently used journal boxes so as to provide greater space for the oil supply and also so as to permit larger oil delivery cups to be used. A safety band 42 may be bolted to the sides of the wedge 20 by bolts 41. After the wedge 20 has been placed on top of the bearing 14, the safety band 42 can be pressed around the bottom of the journal 12 and can be attached to the opposite-side of the wedge 20. Then, in the event that a wreck occurs this band 42 will act as a safety device to hold the wedge and bearing in place. Figure 3 shows the clearance for the delivery cups and Figure 2 is an end View of the journal box and cover. In Figure 3 there is shown the circular plate 21 and the oil delivery cups 22 and 23, and the plate 21 is provided with a plurality of inspection openings or holes 46 so that the car inspector can readily observe the bearing. Figure 4 shows the safety band 42 in place and in Figure 5 the oil grooves 16 and -17 and the oil hole 18 which communicates with the grooves are illustrated. In Figure 6 the oil catch basin 19 is illustrated as well as the oil hole 18.

It is to be understood that various kinds of metals can be used and for example the babbit which is used can be extremely hardand ifdesired a solid brass bearing with oil grooves and a catch basin can be used. Furthermore, a solid steel bearingcan 'be used and the bearing 14 and wedge 20 may be forged in one piece.

In Figures 7, 8 and 9 there is shown various types of oil delivery cups which can be used if desired. In Figure 7 there is illustrated a single delivery type of oil cup wherein the numeral 47 designates the bottom portion of the cup and the numeral 48 designates the top portion thereof. Each of these cups includes an inlet opening 49 whereby oil can enter the cup when the cup is moving in a clockwise direction and there is also an inlet opening 50 so that the oil can enter the cup when the cup is moving in a counterclockwise direction. A spout 51 serves as a discharge for the oil, and there is further provided supporting braces 52.

Referring to Figure 8 of the drawings there is shown a modification wherein there is illustrated a perspective view of a double action oil cup wherein the numeral 53 designates the lower portion of the oil cup and the numeral 54 designates the top portion. This cup includes an oil inlet 55 for use when the cup is moving in a clockwise direction, and an oil inlet 56 for use when the cup 3 is moving in a counterclockwise direction. There is further provided braces 57, and oil outlets 58 and 59.

Referring to Figure 9 of the drawings there is shown a still further modification illustrating oil spill cups which can be used for scooping up oil from the outside of the circular plate 21. In Figure 9 the numerals 6t and 61 designate the main bodies of the oil spouts, while the numerals 62 and 63 designate the bottoms of the cup and the numerals 64 and 65 are the outlets for the oil cups. Braces 66 and 67 are provided, and these braces also serve to partially cover the oil cups.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided a self-lubricating journal for railroad carriers whereby the journals will be lubricated efficiently and whereby undue wearing will be prevented. In use as the car moves the oil cups will dip the oil and deliver it to the oil basin 19. This oil will then flow through the opening 18 into the grooves 16 and 17 whereby it will be distributed onto the axle and thereby provide lubrication for the moving parts. If the car is moving at a sufliciently fast rate, the oil cups will throw the oil directly against the journal itself and yet spill a portion of the oil into the catch basin 19. It is to be noted that the pair of oil grooves 16 and 17 start at the hole 18 and then extend down to the right and left hand corners of the bearing 14 whereby the oil will flow by gravity through the grooves. The groove 16 is a central groove which runs the full length of the bearing and thereby acts as a retaining groove so that as soon as the car starts moving it has lubrication. The journal will receive oil at any rate of speed and preferably a light weight oil is used. The oil cups can be made of various metals for example steel, copper, brass, plastic and Fiberglas.

The dust board and felt is used for preventing dust from entering the rear of the journal box. The journal box of the present invention is larger than presently used journal boxes and has more clearance for the oil delivery cups so that a larger quantity of oil can be used. The safety band 42 holds the bearing and wedge in their proper place in the event of rough handling of the cars or in the event that the car or locomotive is wrecked. The oil retaining seal shown at the rear of the journal box housing which includes the bracket and the felt and the coil spring is provided, and the spring exerts a squeezing action to maintain the felt against the journal in its proper position. The bracket and felt are made in two parts and include an upper and lower section so that the Cir bottom section can be placed in the journal box firsti,

and then the box can be slipped over the journal and then the top section of the bracket and felt can be put in place. It is to be understood that the lubricating system of the present invention is applicable to the present rolling stock of the railroad carriers, namely the cover 33 complete, the plate 21, the cups 22 and 23, the oil seal at the rear of the journal box, and the oil delivery cup of Figures 7, 8, and 9.

I claim:

1. In a self-lubricating journal, 21 box having a quantity 1 of oil therein, an axle extending into said box, a hearing arranged in engagement with said axle, there being a plurality of oil grooves in said bearing, said bearing being provided with an oil hole communicating with said grooves, said bearing being provided with an oil catch basin, awedge mounted on said bearing, a circular plate secured to said axle, a plurality of delivery cups secured to said plate, an oil seal bracket positioned in said box, a yieldable member positioned in said bracket, a coil spring arranged in said bracket and engaging said yieldable member, a cover connected to said box, an oil test stick carried by said cover, there being an inspection opening in said cover, and a safety band secured to said wedge and surrounding a portion of said axle.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, and further including securing elements extending through said plate, and a wire interconnecting said securing elements together.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said oil delivery cups are of the single delivery type and each includes top and bottom portions and inlet openings, and each cup having an oil delivery spout and braces.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said oil delivery cups are of the double action type and each includes upper and lower portions, inlet and outlet openings, and braces.

5. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said oil delivery cups are each provided with upper and lower portions and braces, the braces forming part of the covers for the oil cups.

6. A self-lubricating journal comprising a box having a quantity of oil therein, an axle extending into said box, a bearing arranged in engagement with said axle, there being a plurality of oil grooves in said bearing, said bearing being provided with an oil hole communicating with said grooves, said bearing being provided with an oil catch basin, a circular plate secured to said axle, a plurality of delivery cups secured to said plate for delivering oil to said catch basin, securing elements extending through said plate, a wire interconnecting said securing elements together, said plate having inspection holes, said oil delivery cups being of the single delivery type wherein each of said cups embodies spaced apart top and bottom portions and inlet openings, each of said cups being provided with an oil delivery spout and braces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,643,326 Webb Sept. 27, 1927 2,003,120 Penniman May 28, 1935 2,028,039 Barrows Jan. 14, 1936 2,194,493 Buckius et al. Mar. 26, 1940 2,245,765 Doolan June 17, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 472,426 Germany Apr. 27, 1927 

